Mashed Potato

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This article is about the dance craze. For the food, see mashed potato.

The Mashed Potato is a dance move which was a popular dance craze of 1962. It was danced to songs such as Dee Dee Sharp's "Mashed Potato Time". Also referred to as "mash potato" or "mashed potatoes."

The dance begins by placing both arms in front of you. You then flutter your arms, one after the other, while keeping your feet completely still. This is not to be confused with "pouring on the Gravy,"

"(Do the) Mashed Potatoes" was an early hit for James Brown and his band in 1960, reaching the R&B Top Ten; however, for contractual reasons the song was credited to "Nat Kendrick & The Swans" (Kendrick was Brown's drummer at the time) and released on Dade Records. Brown featured the dance prominently in his live performances during the 50s and 60s. The dance was also referred to in Connie Francis' 1962 hit "V-A-C-A-T-I-O-N" ("...we'll Mashed Potato to a jukebox tune..."), "Do You Love Me" by The Contours and "Land Of 1,000 Dances", a song made popular by Wilson Pickett. Bill Haley & His Comets had a Latin American hit in 1963 with "Pure de Papas", a song based on the dance craze.